January 2009

Three Matt’s Gallery artists participate in Altermodern, the 4th Tate Triennial of British Art.

Nathaniel Mellors Giantbum 2008 (video still)

Mike Nelson work first commissioned by Modern Art Oxford in 2004

Lindsay Seers Extramission 6 (Black Maria) (installation view)

Current exhibitions at Matt’s Gallery

Our current exhibition It has to be this way by Lindsay Seers is an installation formed of parts that are mutually co-dependent. The book, film and sculptures are not derived from each other but manifest simultaneously, each feeding and reinterpreting the other. Drawing on historical theories of vision, Seers creates highly personal narratives by interweaving concepts of science, philosophy and photographic theory into the work, in an ongoing investigation into how cinematic and photographic technologies shape us. The exhibition will continue until 15 March 2009.

Lindsay Seers It has to be this way, 2009 (video still) showing at Matt’s Gallery until 15 March 2009.

Artists exhibitions, projects, awards and events

Here are some highlights for the year so far:

Altermodern: Tate Triennial 2009 will include works by Mike Nelson, Nathaniel Mellors and Lindsay Seers. The exhibition opens on 3 February and will continue to 26 April 2009 at Tate Britain.

Paul Rooney has been announced as the winner of the Northern Art Prize 2008. He was selected from a shortlist which also included Imogen Stidworthy. An exhibition of shortlisted artists’ work is on show at Leeds Art Gallery from 21 November 2008 until 1 February 2009.

Imogen Stidworthy, I Hate 2007 (installation view), showing as part of the Northern Art Prize at Leeds Art Gallery until 1 February 2009

Paul Rooney’s work will also showcase at David Cunningham Projects, San Francisco in an exhibition entitled Trying to cope with Things That Aren’t Human (Part One) running from 22 January-28 February, and also in Perhaps Nothing, Perhaps Something at Leeds Met Gallery from 27 February until 4 April 2009.

Paul Rooney, winner of the Northern Art Prize will be showing La Décision Doypack, 2008 (16mm film still) originally commissioned by Matt’s Gallery and Radar, at Leeds Art Gallery until 1 February 2009

Jordan Baseman’s solo exhibition Dark is the Night consisting of new work made in and around Soho during 2008/09, jointly commissioned by Artsway and The Photographers’ Gallery, London will be shown at Artsway from 21 February-5 April 2009.

Jordan Baseman Dark is the Night , 2009 (16mm film still), will be shown along with two further works in an exhibition of the same title at Artsway 21 February-5 April 2009.

An exhibition of work by Willie Doherty entitled Three Potential Endings will be showing at the Peter Kilchmann Gallery, Zürich 17 January-21 February 2009, and will include the artist’s new film by the same title.

Willie Doherty Three Potential Endings (video still) will be showing at the Peter Kilchmann Gallery, Zürich 17 January-21 February 2009

John Frankland will be showing work at The Art House Foundation, Redcross Way, London SE1 in February 2009, and also at The Russian Club, London in a joint show with Elizabeth Magill during March 2009.

Alison Turnbull is continuing to work on Time and Tide, a serial commission by DLR for cycle shelters at DLR stations to create a visual identity for the new amenity.

Alison Turnbull, Time and Tide (Shadwell Station), serial commission for cycle shelters at DLR stations

Staff News

Whilst Joyce Cronin, Matt’s Gallery Exhibitions Manager will be returning after maternity leave in February 2009, Clare Fitzpatrick, Projects Manager, will be taking maternity leave from the end of February. Frances Scott, a past Matt‘s Gallery intern will taking on the role of Projects Manager whilst Clare is away.

Intern News

In January Matt‘s Gallery welcomed Ashleigh Pearson as the new Stanley Picker Intern. Ashleigh will be working with the gallery for 6 months across a range of activies.

Continuing Exhibitions

The following exhibitions and events were featured in the November-December News page but are still running throughout January-February:

By appointment only, a year long exhibition by David Osbaldeston will be showing at Matt’s Gallery (Office) from 1 October 2008 to 30 September 2009. To arrange a weekday viewing please call 07541 313941 or visit the Matt’s Gallery (Office) website for further information.

Paul Rooney is also taking part in the group exhibition The Fifth Floor: Ideas Taking Space at Tate Liverpool to mark the end of Liverpool’s year as European Capital of Culture. The exhibition will run from 16 December-1 February 2009.

An exhibition of Juan Cruz’s work will be showing at Galeria Elba Benitez, Madrid from 22 November, continuing until 24 January 2009.

Hayley Newman’s exhibition MiniFlux will be showing at alt.gallery, Newcastle from 11 November until 24 January 2009. MiniFlux is a collection of over 1000 objects used and/or referenced in Fluxus musical scores recreated in Plasticine.

Publications and Editions

M. Anthony Penwill It Has To Be This Way, published by Matt’s Gallery, 2009 as part of Lindsay Seers’ exhibition It has to be this way 21 January-15 March 09

It Has To Be This Way, by M. Anthony Penwill is published by Matt’s Gallery to accompany Lindsay Seers’ exhibition of the same title. The book is one element of the installation.

The structure of the novella, It Has To Be This Way by M. Anthony Penwill, draws from the archives of both the artist and her sister, Christine. The book is written through a process in which a narrative is founded on a selection of photographs. The archives from which the photographs were taken are constituted by the sisters’ shared research from 1996-1999 on Queen Christina of Sweden (1626-1689). Inevitably, given their source, they reflect the life of Christine. M. Anthony Penwill has acted as an editor for this project and is the author of the resulting publication.

Hayley Newman, Out of Memory a collection of 10 photographic prints, will be available from Unbound from 2 February 2009.

Hayley Newman has just completed a Live Art Development Agency tenth anniversary commission exclusive to Unbound. Out of Memory is a series of 10 photographic prints marking the locations of performances that happened in London between 1961 and 2004. This edition features photographs taken at the sites of performances by artists including Fiona Templeton, Bobby Baker and Stuart Brisley at locations including Covent Garden, Vauxhall Cross and Fleet Street. The edition will be available to buy from 2 February.